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<DIV><SPAN class=900184422-16102004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>ETREE
note: BSEP is such a big deal that it is easy to forget that there are new
parents who don't know what it is. BSEP stands for Berkeley School
Enrichment Project and it is a parcel tax which generates roughly 10 percent of
the BUSD's annual budget. At least it did generate 10 percent. Now,
due to inflation, it is not buying as much. Hence Measure B, which we all
hope will pass and is designed to supplement the BSEP money. Most of the
BSEP money is used to reduce class size. At Berkeley High alone it hires 28
teachers. Imagine class sizes without those teachers! If measure B
passes, Berkeley High is hoping to hire additional teachers
as early as January. This will help the crowded class conditions. In
addition, each BUSD school is given a set amount--roughly $150 per
pupil --to be spent by an elected committee of parents and teachers and--at
the high school--students for enrichment purposes. Berkeley High gets roughly
$500,000 from this discretionary fund and it pays for the college advisor, the
Afro-Haitian drummer, tutoring, the Athletic Equipment Manager, a strength and
conditioning coach, technology support, the Writer's Room, etc, etc.
Elections for parent reps on the site committee were held at the first PTSA
meeting in September. It is this site committee which will be meeting next
week. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=900184422-16102004>
<P><FONT size=2>______________________________<BR>Janet Huseby and Kathryn Capps
are the facilitators of the etree; please direct any questions or concerns to
them at <bhs-owner@idiom.com><BR><BR>To subscribe to the etree, write
bhs-request@idiom.com with one word only in the subject line: subscribe.<BR>To
unsubscribe, write bhs-request@idiom.com with one word only in the subject line:
unsubscribe.<BR> </FONT> </P></SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>